Knowing where to turn when your child is struggling can be difficult.
Emmaus Road Counseling is here to serve the students of Western Christian Schools.
Adolescent mental health issues are on the rise, especially with our current external influences.
With external influences such as the Covid pandemic, increase in technology use, and exposure to global violence, including shootings in our nation's schools; our children have experienced traumatic events, changes in their routine, lack of consistency, fear, physical and social isolation, closure of schools, increased screen time, increased risk of child abuse, and parental stress which all correlate with mental distress such as Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD; which has affected them mentally, socially, and academically.
Meet our counselors for Western Christian Schools.
Christina Saad
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #131035
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I specialize in working with children and families as well as trauma. I utilize play therapy, art therapy, and helping improve communication skills with family members. I am here to help support you and your family especially when going through difficult situations.
I've led missions trips to downtown LA, Alaska, and Texas that have helped me along my spiritual journey. I have worked in a residential facility for eating disorders in Pasadena. My approach to therapy is providing empathy and warmth from the beginning of treatment and then helping clients achieve their therapeutic goals by walking alongside them in their journeys. My spiritual approach is that I will meet you where you are at. I graduated with my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling.
To schedule your free consultation with Christina, email
Lauren Elmslie
PCC Trainee
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I specialize in working with Children and Adolescents and have a heart for helping this age group to live whole lives. Life can be challenging and messy, especially during these ages. Thus, I am passionate about assisting individuals in telling their unique stories in a way that brings change and healing. I have experience dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, and more. This experience and my own experience in therapy give me a strong desire to help people navigate their challenges and grow in their coping abilities.
I am a Professional Clinical Counselor trainee in the process of completing my master's in Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Children and Adolescents at Azusa Pacific University. I am certified in Gottman Level 1 Couples Therapy and Dr. Sue Johnson's Emotionally Focused Therapy. I also have various experiences volunteering at church, including leading young adult and high-school ministry small groups. I aim to help individuals integrate their mental health healing with their Christian faith to live emotionally healthy spiritual lives.
To schedule your free consultation with Lauren, email lelmslie@emmausroadcounseling.com or call 909-347-0438.
Matthew Jang
PCC Trainee
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I am a dedicated Professional Clinical Counselor Trainee at Azusa Pacific University, who brings a wealth of experience and a culturally rich background to my counseling approach. I hail from Oahu, Hawaii, and my passion for guiding individuals towards personal growth and mental well-being has been cultivated through 4 years of mentoring with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, mentoring students through college transitions. My service in over 15 countries in sports ministry fostered my commitment to cross-cultural understanding, enabling me to connect with diverse individuals.
I am committed to empowering clients to overcome challenges and lead fulfilling lives. My holistic approach, enriched by working with children with behavior difficulties at Hawaii Behavioral Health in 2018, reflects my dedication to making a positive impact.
To schedule your free consultation with Matthew, email mjang@emmausroadcounseling.com or call 323-524-8470.
What keeps kids from getting the help they need?
Values Alignment
The fear of bringing on a therapist who does not align with the values and mission of a Christian family and a private Christian school can prevent parents from seeking out counseling for their kids.
Cost of Services
The high cost of private Christian school tuition can make affording mental health services for children a challenge for some families.
Stigma
The stigma surrounding mental health and therapy prevents some families from pursuing counseling as an option for their children.
How does Emmaus Road meet these challenges?
At Emmaus Road, we understand the unique challenges that Christian families and private Christian schools face. We are here to help you navigate these challenges and provide resources to support your family.
Emmaus Road is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) Christian Counseling agency that partners with Christian schools, churches, and universities to make quality counseling accessible and affordable. Our goal is to partner with your family by bridging the gap and offering counseling services on campus.
Our therapists take a collaborative approach, partnering together to make sure parents feel heard, understood, and agree with goals and interventions for their child.
Our therapists pursue training in various evidence-based treatment modalities, and your child’s sessions may include talk therapy and other methods such as art, games, music, and other tools.
Interventions may include:
Increasing mindfulness of current emotions
Identify ways to manage and change emotions
Increasing positive emotional events
Applying distress tolerance techniques
Increase effective coping strategies
Identify and challenge any negative beliefs they may have
FAQs
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All of our therapists are legally allowed to practice psychotherapy in the state of CA. Our therapists are either Professional Clinical Counselors or Marriage and Family Therapists. Some of our therapists are finishing up their Master's level education at graduate schools such as: Concordia University, Vanguard, Azusa Pacific University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Biola University, California Baptist University, and Pepperdine University.
Other therapists have already obtained their MA degrees and are working on completing their hours towards becoming licensed within the state of California.
Lastly, we have our licensed therapists. They have completed the necessary education and training and passed the CA state license exam.
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We only hire men and women who are strong in their Christian faith and view counseling as an aspect of ministry, desiring to use their skills and abilities to help those who might be struggling in life, school, or with their relationships. Scrolling down lets you see which counselors will be at your school.
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Our research shows that children improve dramatically when parents participate in counseling. We welcome your input and collaboration as we develop a treatment plan specifically for your child. We would love to have you as involved as you’d like to be.
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As part of the counseling process, we will administer certain assessment tools to help us understand what might be going on in your child’s life and measure their progress. It is also very important that you and your child feel the sessions are beneficial, so we frequently administer a session outcome rating scale to ensure sessions are meeting your needs.
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We are here to serve you and your family. If you have any questions at all, or if we can help in any way that is not addressed, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 909.979.3722 or email us at office@emmausroadcounseling.com Someone will get back to you within 24 hours.